1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of hookahs and hookah supplies and accessories. More specifically the present invention relates to a hookah suspension assembly for securely and attractively containing and suspending a hookah from an elevated structure while providing operational access so that the hookah can be used while suspended. The assembly includes a hookah support panel on which the bottom surface of a hookah can rest, several flexible support lines each passing through a corresponding one of a circumferential series of support panel holes around the support panel perimeter and at least some of the lines have a panel support structure to support the support panel and a hookah resting on the support panel, the lines extending upwardly from the support panel to a guide ring where the support lines each pass through a corresponding one of a circumferential series of guide ring holes in the guide ring and at least one of the support lines preferably including a guide ring support structure preventing the guide ring from sliding down the lines beyond a desired position, and the lines then extending upwardly from the guide ring and converging above the guide ring where they engage a suspension member such as a hook secured to an elevated structure such as a ceiling, so that the hookah and assembly are elevated and suspended and the hookah is accessible for use. The hookah tobacco bowl is contained within the assembly below where the support lines converge and is accessible between the lines. A ribbon or other flexible member preferably is wrapped around the circumferential series of support lines generally perpendicular to the lines and tightened to pull the lines inwardly against the side surfaces of the hookah to grip and hold the hookah securely within the assembly, and then is tied or otherwise fastened in the wrapped position.
A guide panel preferably is provided spaced upwardly from the guide ring, and preferably is smaller in diameter than the guide ring, and each support line passes through a corresponding one of a circumferential series of holes about the perimeter of the guide panel before converging above the guide panel. As a result, the hookah is attractively displayed and secured against tipping over and breaking, thereby also freeing floor or table space where the hookah otherwise would rest, and is readily accessible for use.
A balancing weight preferably is provided for being removably secured to or suspended from an edge of the support panel to counterbalance the laterally extending weight of the hookah hose.
The support panel, the guide ring and the guide panel each may have any desired perimeter shape, including but not limited to circular, elliptical, square, rectangular and triangular, and can be a solid panel, a grid, a mesh, intersecting members or any other support structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hookahs have existed for at least 423 years. They have been placed on any of a variety of support surfaces such as on a table or on the ground. A problem has been that hookahs are generally tall and narrow and made of glass, so that they are easy to knock over, and when knocked over they readily break.
The only prior hookah containment device known to applicant is that of Mehio, U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,405, issued on Jul. 29, 2008. Mehio discloses what is termed a portable hookah system and hookah containment device which is essentially an upright and free standing cylindrical cage formed apparently of stiff wires. The base of a hookah is seated in and engaged by the cage lower end, and the cage is sized so that when a hookah is inside the cage the bowl protrudes through and above an opening in the top of the cage. The cage has a pivoting wire carrying handle, for transporting the cage and hookah to a support surface on which the cage can rest.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a hookah suspension assembly for securely containing and suspending a hookah from an elevated structure such as a ceiling while providing operational access to the hookah, so that the hookah cannot be knocked over and broken and also does not require table or floor space, and so that the hookah can be used while suspended.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a hookah suspension assembly which is aesthetically pleasing and which showcases the hookah.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a hookah suspension assembly which readily collapses into a compact configuration when the assembly is removed from suspension and the hookah is removed from the assembly.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a hookah suspension assembly which is simple in design, sturdy and reliable, can be constructed in a variety of styles which can include fiber optic filaments, and is inexpensive to assemble.